Practical Training

After a long while, Hiruzen Sarutobi seemed to be getting tired too. At last, he brought the boring speech to an end.

When the speech was over, the students on the playground began to leave, heading for their assigned classrooms.

Inside the A Class classroom.

Uchiha Gen casually picked a seat at the back, by the window. Sitting at his desk, he found himself inexplicably interested in the feeling of going back to school.

His gaze swept across the classroom, taking in all the students with their colorful hair. Uchiha Gen was glad he had been reborn into the Uchiha Clan. In his eyes, black was the most normal hair color of all.

"Clap!!"

"Quiet!!"

Just as Uchiha Gen was looking over his future classmates, a man in a Konoha Ninja flak jacket walked in. Both his appearance and his clothes looked terribly scruffy.

"Hello, everyone. I'm your teacher for the next few years, Ino Sarutobi. I like obedient students who don't give me trouble, and I dislike students who don't listen. If you have any problems during your time at school, you can come find me, but try not to.

"To help everyone get along better as a class, it's customary for each of you to come up and give a brief self-introduction, just like I did. You can also include a dream."

As he introduced himself, Ino Sarutobi picked up a piece of chalk from the lectern and quickly scrawled his name on the blackboard behind him. Then he turned around and spoke in a grave voice.

His expression was stern. He didn't seem like an easy person to get along with.

"All right, we'll start with you. Come up one at a time, from front to back."

After speaking, Ino Sarutobi stepped aside and casually pointed to the student closest to the lectern.

"Hello, everyone. My name is Yuichi Yamashiro..."

"Hello, everyone. I'm Hizashi Hyuga. I like watching birds fly freely. I don't dislike... anything. As for my dream, I guess it's to support my big brother..."

Onstage, Hizashi Hyuga delivered his self-introduction with a straight face.

Down below, Uchiha Gen propped up his cheek and watched the white-eyed boy at the lectern, especially the white band around the boy's forehead.

He got branded with the Caged Bird so young? Good thing I was born with Red Eye Syndrome, not Byakugan Blindness.

In Uchiha Gen's eyes, the Caged Bird was actually the right policy for the Hyuga Clan. After all, the Hyuga Clan wasn't the Uchiha Clan.

They were... too weak.

Their eyes could be activated so easily, yet in a Shinobi World where eyeballs could be swapped in and out at will, they lacked the strength to protect their bloodline from being stolen.

The Caged Bird had indeed protected them to some extent, but that still couldn't change one thing: the Hyuga Clan was weak.

Uchiha Gen couldn't understand how the Hyuga Clan had the nerve to compete with the Uchiha for the title of the greatest dojutsu bloodline.

And what about the Byakugan's evolved form, the Tenseigan? Was there anyone in the Hyuga Clan who could awaken those eyes? No.

"Hello, everyone. I'm Minato Namikaze. I like reading, and I haven't found anything I dislike yet. My dream is to become Hokage!"

Minato Namikaze went up after Hizashi Hyuga.

Looking at the blond boy onstage, smiling warmly, Uchiha Gen understood Kushina Uzumaki's later assessment of Minato Namikaze.

At this age, Minato Namikaze really was rather girlish. Just judging by his looks, he was prettier than many of the girls in the class.

After Minato Namikaze, the other students took turns introducing themselves. There were a few familiar faces, but not many.

As one introduction after another came to an end, it was soon Uchiha Gen's turn. Sitting at the back by the window meant he was last.

Uchiha Gen stood up and walked to the lectern. After glancing at Minato Namikaze, he couldn't help feeling a little mischievous.

Your student gave your son his self-introduction, and now I've talked about you right in front of you. How is this not a Konoha "bond passed down through the generations"?

"My name is Uchiha Gen. The things I like and dislike... I can't be bothered to tell you. As for my dream... I have all kinds of interests."

After saying that, Uchiha Gen headed straight back to his seat.

"What was that? Aside from his name, wasn't the rest just a bunch of nonsense?"

"He's one of the Uchiha. My dad said the Uchiha Clan are the worst."

"Shh, keep your voice down."

Hearing the little brats yapping around him, Uchiha Gen was in a very good mood.

That's right, keep it up. That way, I can harvest you like leeks without a second thought.

Uchiha Gen needed card draws, so he naturally needed all kinds of battles. At the Ninja Academy, these students were the only ones suitable for fighting him.

As a member of the Uchiha Clan, he naturally had to make good use of his Uchiha bloodline.

From the very beginning, Uchiha Gen had never planned to hide his abilities. At this point in the timeline, the storm of war was already sweeping through the Shinobi World, and Konoha still needed the Uchiha Clan.

So when his talent was fully revealed, there was no need to worry about any open attempts to target him.

As for covert attempts... Hah. At most, Konoha would secretly keep an eye on him or pull a few strings on the battlefield.

As for those things...

I'm an Uchiha.

Because of the way card draws worked in Mist Space, Uchiha Gen would inevitably have to take part in countless battles, earning cards to strengthen himself.

Since his path to growth required countless battles, why hide his abilities?

On the eve of war, it was the perfect time to show off his talent without restraint. The people sitting at the very top of Konoha's power might be full of ill intent, but they weren't fools.

"All A Class students, assemble!"

On the Ninja Academy playground, Ino Sarutobi held a notebook under one arm and a pencil in the other hand as he shouted loudly.

After everyone had finished their introductions, Ino Sarutobi had brought the whole class to the playground.

"When you took the entrance test, I'm sure the proctors told you what kind of class A Class is.

"So I won't go into too much detail here. You only need to know that A Class is completely different from the other classes.

"As for how it's different... you'll find out soon enough. Next up is your first lesson at the Ninja Academy: practical combat!

"Those whose names I call should get ready. First match: Mitarashi Toichi versus Nohara Hiroshi. Second match: Hizashi Hyuga versus Uchiha Gen. Third match: Minato Namikaze versus..."